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Microsoft Apologizes for XBL Downtime With Undertow
The extraordinary problems that Microsoft's Xbox Live experienced over the holidays were followed up with swift promises of a free game to compensate for the frustration many users suffered. The company has followed through, and has announced that Undertow will be the free game sacrificed to mollify gamers. The game will be free to download all this week, starting tomorrow (Wednesday) and running through this Sunday. "Two weeks ago, Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten posted a letter to Live subscribers apologizing for poor performance during the holidays and promising a freebie was on the way. There are currently no plans to offer a substitute game for those who already own Undertow." Just the same, Major Nelson sent along word to 360 Fanboy that they'd 'take care of you' if you found yourself in that situation.
I bet the Silver members will have to wait their turn to get their consolation prize.
I write sci-fi for metalheads
This just in: XBL unavailable again due to the massive demand for (the ironically named) Undertow.
"Major Nelson sent along word to 360 Fanboy that they'd 'take care of you' if you found yourself in that situation."
Sounds a little scary to me. I can just imagine some burly Microsoft tech taking a baseball bat to my 360. Or kneecaps.
Vincent J. Murphy
Spandex Justice
If the baseball bat was made by Microsoft, it might break as soon as the technician takes a swing.
I write sci-fi for metalheads
Does this solution for people who already bought Undertow seem like a real after-thought to anyone else? (This 'word' coming as a comment instead of part of the original post being my first hint.) I mean if they really cared about those of us who actually bought Undertow, they would just check the records and give us the points instead of making us jump the support hoops.
According to Wikipedia it starts on Wednesday January 23'rd and finishes on Sunday the 27'th, that's a very small time window.
Thanks to them not thinking of time zones internationally (again!), I for one happen to be away from any kind of technology for exactly that period (plus a day) - that's not cool.
I wouldn't have any serious beef except the fact that people PAID MONEY for a service which was not available to them, much like paying for electricity, cable tv, water, gas, cell phone etc.
As someone who has recently purchased a PS3 and 360 quite close to each other, I have to say the concept of me paying for the live service just feels insulting.
*(AUD here)*
569$ for a premium system
99$ -> 119$ for a game (RRP)
89$ for a cheap, plastic headset*1 and 12 months of live
*USD here*
495$ for a premium system
86$ -> 103$ for a game (RRP)
77$ for a cheap, plastic headset*1 and 12 months of live
That last one on the list really strikes home, I mean I'm paying 570$ for an expensive NOISY console and I'm paying another 100$ for a game and now after I've paid for a game, I have to pay to play it online?
As a long time PC gamer and very very regretably I admit one who has pirated PC games in the past, the whole notion of paying for a game means that you CAN play it online to me, you're no longer generating a CD key or cracking an executable, you've bought it and have the right to use all the features as intended.
Yes, yes I know they provide a good service with Live and yes I know infrastructure isn't free but hey Sony's service is free.
Before anyone says it, it is not even HALF as bad as people claim, it may not be as good as live but it's certainly not terrible (see: Wii)
Furthermore, Microsoft net a lot of sales of the Xbox 360 and it's games due to its community, Live is certainly a factor in those sales they have vs the PS3, some people get it just for the community aspect.
Therefore, live isn't just making them money in subscriptions, in itself it's driving (some) of the entire value of the product and sales to the company.
So to drive the long winded point home, these people are making good money selling these systems*2 and should've planned for something to happen over Xmas, I and many others wouldn't complain if it was a free service and those who do complain certainly would likely fall on deaf ears.
Hence a 4 day window to download this game, not cool, feels very 'oh you missed your bonus? sorry' infact the entire Xbox experience so far BESIDES BEING NOISY seems very nickle and dimish.
Hell 5,000,000 people trying to download this game in a 4 day window seems like they are asking for trouble to boot.
Before it's said, no I don't hate the system by any means but I'm incredibly surprised at just how much I use my PS3 vs 360, based on what I read in games forums and the gaming press before buying. I allowed hype and those sources to convince me that my PS3 would be that lemon that sat idle that I impulsively purchased for games in anticipation for future use maybe.
The reality is the 360 hasn't been switched on in 10 days and the PS3 is getting quite a bit of use.
(oh and while I'm ranting, how nice is it that Sony's controllers use a STANDARD usb cable for charging them? just one less nickle and dime)
So, ultimately - this sucks, if you stand by this 'apology' put the bloody game up for a couple of weeks, not 4 days hoping some people miss it (I mean cmon the time window is so short, what other possible reason could they have?)
*1 = yes, that's right there's 2 regions in the world Microsoft chose to randomly 'dick' by simply not including the headset in the full package (Australia and I think Mexico?)
There seems to be no real reason, they simply don't include it! further to this, Australia was one of the best supporters of the Xbox 1 and live system per capita too.
Also all their documentation and web pages need to be tailored to 'oh that's right, we removed it for those guys didn't we?' and they
I feel that if they were going to compensate paying subscribers for their inconvenience over the holidays, that free points would have been the right way to go. Instead, they chose an XBLA title that 1) was already widely downloaded and 2) was very widely panned by gamers. It has its fans like any game, sure, but I would say that a large population of gamers I've talked with about it don't like the game and would've enjoyed the chance to pick out what THEY wanted instead of what Microsoft felt like parting with free of charge. If you want to make the gamers happy, give them 800 points (the average cost of an XBLA game) and let them decide.
Gee thanks Microsoft, thanks a pant-load. Just what I wanted, a game that I have absolutely no interest in, that got terrible reviews to boot!
Awesome, you rock like week-old, half-eaten oatmeal. Why do I even bother paying for Live?
Enemy of the Sun
This is the second time they've offered a free XBLA game that I already purchased. So what is my recompense for not having a service available that I paid for? Why should I be passed over because I already bought the game?
Result, I get nothing while others get a bone tossed to them because, ironically, I gave them money where others did not.
This same sony shill crap gets posted in every story about the 360. "No dedicated servers" and "Absurdly small player counts..." are verbatim talking points from every such post.
My question is, who the hell mods this crap up?! Does the AC have an account with mod points he uses on his own posts?
There is nothing insightful about the parent, and some of what he said is downright fabrication. The 360 is more hostile to developers than the PS3? Common people.
My 360 just red-ringed three days ago... no way I'll have it back in time... sonnuva....
PS3 Online
Dedicated servers, only if the developer offers them and can be terminated at their whim. You can still play Mechassault for the original Xbox on Live, more than 5 years later.
A system so open that there is no system. Its all up to the developer. Some do it well and some don't, and theres no oversight or requirements.
No universal access to the system from within games. To send or look at messages you have to leave a game and go to the main PS3 screen (whatever they call their dashboard)
Do they have a unified friends list yet? I'm truly not sure.
The problem with PS3 online is its too much like PS2 online: there isn't any strategy really. You may balk at the paltry Live fee, but you get what you pay for.
Low online player count: I don't know the reason behind this. I know that "Front Lines: Fuel of War" will have 32 players online for the 360.
I am not arguing that PC online doesn't have more pros. But I believe you were wrong on a few 360 points.
I used to play PC games, but I figured paying $50 a year for Live was better than paying $500 a year to upgrade my PC so I could keep up.
Is it just me, or do you hate it when people say "Is it just me..."?
Anybody know the relative size of this game's download?
"People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
What the hell are you babbling about?
Xbox owners themselves have been demanding Microsoft give them dedicated servers for a long time now. Gears had absurdly bad lag problems with people really upset that for one of the biggest games of the year they didn't bother to set the game up with dedicated servers.
And Epic themselves have stated repeatedly that they are having to rewrite Unreal Tournament's mod code just for the 360 due to the way Microsoft has Live setup and it looks like it is going to take at least six months. Companies like NCSoft are bringing their PC MMORPGs to the PS3 because the system is open and friendly to third party developers unlike Microsoft's. NCSoft came right out and stated this publicly as to why they weren't supporting the 360 and focusing on the PS3.
If Sony really is about to release the in game messaging stuff that they've been sorely lacking Microsoft is going to truly become a complete joke for online gaming. They've done nothing to try to step up their service and have ignored the demands to drop the idiotic online fees or implement dedicated servers.
That'd be just peachy if my brand new Xbox 360 that I bought a couple weeks ago wasn't just shipped off to Microsoft to be repaired for RRoD. I bought the new one to replace the one I've had for two-and-a-half years. The old one had disc drive issues and begin to freeze regularly and finally RRoD also. Now I'm going to miss the free game because the window is too short. Anyone got a Wii for sale?
Laggy online play forcing players to rely on other players Net connections/bandwidth Wasn't it the Warhawk developers saying that they were also including player hosted games because they realized that dedicated servers weren't the best in all circumstances?
Yeah, it was. Only having dedicated servers is a bad idea. Even your precious PS3 game devs realize that. They even claim it reduces normal latency issues because you can find games closer to home, especially when in other countries. Developer hostile and closed. Because XNA is really tough to get a hold of and play with, right? Especially since the development environment is free and all. PS3 Online:
Developer friendly and open system Now that is some funny shit.
-- toolie
I was unknowingly included in a class-action suit against my former wireless provider, and received part of the settlement (minutes to be used on any network, nothing impressive).
Now, this has gotten me wondering if by downloading this game there is some sort of clause or recognition on Microsoft's part that you have in fact accepted this as acceptible compensation, barring you from raising any future disputes about the issue.
Can anyone confirm this?
Those who believe the Internet is private,
find their privates are on the Internet.
"What downtimes? I can only recall a few, and their planned, and usually in the wee hours of the morning during the week."
What about when Halo 3 came out? I couldn't connect to Live at all the first day it was out and my connection was hit and miss for a few days after that. How did the COD 4 launch go? I got the PC version so I don't know but I'm guessing Live took a hit then too.
Microsoft has seen this behaviour before the Christmas, they didn't expect people to play their 360s in during their holidays? My guess is that in their effort to finally make the Xbox division profitable they haven't been upgrading the Live infrastructure to keep up with the increased user numbers.
I apologize. I read downtimes, but was thinking of planned outages. I thought parent meant that Live was down often because of upgrades or whatnot. I agree that should be no excuse to a service being down that's paid for.
Is it just me, or do you hate it when people say "Is it just me..."?
Before anyone says it, it is not even HALF as bad as people claim, it may not be as good as live but it's certainly not terrible (see: Wii) Compare Xbox Live to Steam, and it's hard to see what exactly Microsoft is providing for $50/year.
Friends list and notifications? Check. Clans? Check. Achievements? Check. Gamer profiles? Check. Voice chat and instant messaging? Check. Downloadable content store with demos, trailers, and full games? Check. Automatic game updates? Check. Instant access to network features during a game? Check.
But Steam does all that for free.
Oh, and Steam also lets you play on dedicated servers: more players in each game, less lag, no cheating by the host (the server admin can cheat, but you can find another server). And again, it's free.
So, what do you get for all that money you drop on an Xbox Live subscription? A gamer score and video/picture messaging. That's it.
Visual IRC: Fast. Powerful. Free.
I'm not sure how many are taking the cancellation route but after being stuck in limbo due to a Gamer Tag recovery gone bad it's too little too late. I would have been happy to take advantage of intermittent service. Spent almost two weeks playing as a lowly guest on Halo 3 waiting 10-15 minutes for a match from various consoles/homes. Too many slow to non-existent replies to emails.
Seriously, if they aren't giving you the service you paid for or expect then leave. It sucks because for many like myself multi-player constitutes the majority of my play. But be warned. Canceling is proving to be a pain in the rear. 20-41 minute phone calls because they don't offer a way to cancel on the console or online. Apparently, the far too few number of "supervisors" are the only ones allowed the final say on canceling accounts. There's no warning about call volumes and if they take down your info for a call-back laugh inside because they won't. I'm on day 3 of canceling my account. Tomorrow might be a call to my card company for a charge-back.
I may even fight for a refund for my non-existent Gold service due to the gamer tag issue if my state has consumer laws that trump the Live TOS (no guaranteed level of service can't surely mean a complete lack of paid service). If paying with a credit card check your issuers terms for provisions that may help you get satisfaction.
For those willing to stand up for quality of service and customer service good luck when canceling and bring your patience and always remember to be courteous to those you talk to.
A World in a Grain of Sand / Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Infinity in the Palm of your Hand / And Eternity in an Hour.
Ho Ho! You've cleverly pointed out that their service is not infallible. There have been some problems lately but this is the first time the service has had any prolonged problem in 5 years, and it was never down completely.
They had a problem with the system, they endeavored to fix it, they offered recompense.
When was the last time Sony admitted a mistake?
Oh my, you're not doing awfully well as a Microsoft apologist/shill now, do you? I mean, you explicitly state you don't know what you are talking about (PS3 online service, unified friends list, and so on), but then you get all aggressive as soon as someone (that would be me) pulls your leg with a little aside, regardless.
Just my two cents here: PSN doesn't even try to be Live, it follows a different concept, so what about getting over it and stopping to do futile comparisons, like "Hey, PSN doesn't look as shiny and web-like as Live, so it fails!"? I, for one, will welcome our new Home overlord as soon as it hits the earth, but I will not do any cheapskate comparisons à la "Live is what?! 2D only? That sucks!", because, you know, apples to oranges don't compare that well. If this helps: PSN is more like a back-end system, where Live is more front-end heavy. Let's hope both concepts get the job done, but accept that many don't find it acceptable for a paid service to be simply 'forgotten' to be beefed up for the peak sales season of the year.
A World in a Grain of Sand / Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Infinity in the Palm of your Hand / And Eternity in an Hour.
I downloaded and played the free demo off XBL a few weeks ago and that game is utter crap. :(
Should of known they wouldn't of given out something worthwhile. Oh well.
I live life on the edge
I didn't start the futile comparison, I only corrected an inaccurate one. I believe our positions are actually closer than you might think. You're right: PSOnline is not Live and doesn't try to be. My personal opinion is that being more like Live would be a better user experience, but then again I like Live. But people who compare the prices of the services like to pretend there's feature parity, and thats just not the case.
Their open system does have its advantages. MMOG devs certainly seem to prefer the freedom. Burnout Paradise works a little better on the PS3 because the Xbox blade system doesn't bring you out of the "drive through the city" menu metaphor.
My apologies if I overreacted to your comment. Ive just been reading about folks complaining about this Live outage and I'm tired of it. They just sound like a bunch of whiners. MS fucked up, but they addressed the issue and tried to make up for it. If people are bothered that much they are free not to re-subscribe. But its not like nothing was done or the problem was ignored completely.
Don't forget to blame your government for the fact that you pay more in Australia. In the US, retail prices do not reflect sales taxes, as sales tax is levied by state and local governments. We don't have a VAT or a GST in the US. Australia does, and that tax is factored into the retail price. So, if you think you're getting fucked in the ass, take a look at Canberra before you blame the manufacturers.
By the way, I know about the GST because I've been to Australia, and my wife's an Aussie.
I write sci-fi for metalheads
You let me know when $100 a year will get you a dev kit for the PS3/Wii to play around with to your heart's content. Sure, XNA isn't the ideal environment for high level game development by a long shot (.NET simply isn't suitable for the problem space, for a lot of reasons I could get into), but it's really an unprecedented level of official open development support for hobbyists in the console world.
So, to recap, with $100 and a high quality free IDE you can make your own games for a current generation console. Don't even try to tell me this is developer hostile, because it's one of the most egalitarian things the industry has yet to see. Not saying they couldn't go further in this direction, but it's a good step in the right direction if you ask me.
Disclaimer: I am NOT a fan of Microsoft. I despise them. In fact, about a year ago I got so disgusted with them I reformatted my hard drive to go open source and really haven't looked back. I give them credit where credit is due though.
Having now downloaded and played the game, I can say this is pure Microsoft.
"To make up for failing to live up to our promises, we're going to take a big, greasy dump on your chest. You're welcome."
I thought I'd be hard-pressed to find a game on the 360 worse than Bullet Witch. I was wrong.